Screen



F. P. B'UNKER Oct. 20, 1931.

SCREEN Fild March 9, 1929 I WITNESSES mm fin BY ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 20, 1931 PATENT OFFICE FRANK P. BUNKER, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA.

SCREEN Application filed March 9, 1929. Serial No. 345,692.

This invention appertains to improvements in screens generally, and has for its main object to provide a type thereof which is adapted for universal use in homes, fac- 5 tories or shops for the screening of persons and/or things from general view, and which is of such construction as to be absolutely fire-proof, and otherwise to enable the same to withstand hard usage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a screen of the'class set forth, which is preferably made up of a series of metal panels or wall sections arranged in edge to edge relation, and hinged together so as to form a substantially continuous wall or partition when set up in open position, or a protecting closure when set up in position with the several panels or sections thereof disposed in angular relation, one with respect to the other, and in a manner that the outer side edges of the outer of the anels or sections are brought together or a utted.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a door or doors in one or more of the panels or wall sections of the screen whereby, when the latter is set up in any position of use, ready access may be had to the space enclosed or partitioned off by the same.

With the foregoing and other equally important objects and advantages in view, the

invention resides in the certain new and use-- ful combination, construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inv which :v

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a practical embodiment of the invention, showing a fourpanel or wall section construction with the panels or wall sections in extended position, as when the screen is employed as a partition or the like,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the screen as it appears when the four panels or wall sections are disposed in right angular relation to provide a completely enclosed space within the same,

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectionthrough the screen as it appears in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the screen as it appears in set-up position, and when only three panels or wall sections are employed in interconnected connection, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a formof corner brace for use in securing adjacent panels or wall sections in temporary or permanently set up angular relation.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference desi te corresponding parts in the several views thereof, the embodiment of the invention, as shown therein by way of example, is comprised in a desired number of wall sections, which, as shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, are four in number (hereinafter designated 10, 11, 12 and 13), and in Figure 4, three in number (hereinafter designated 10', 11 and 12) are each made up of a metal frame formed of vertical members 14 and horizontal members 15. These members 14 and 15 are preferably made from suitable lengths of flat strip metal, the members 14 being spaced apart in parallel relation, and connected at or adjacent their upper andlower ends b the members 15. As shown, the upper o the members 15 preferably connect the members 14 at the extreme upper ends, while the lower of the members 15 connect the same at points spaced inwardly of their lower'ends. The rectangular opening of each frame, as thus constructed and arranged, is now closed by a panel 16 of sheet steel or the like, which is secured in position, preferably at the inner side of the frame in any suitable or desired manner.

With the wall sections 10, 11, 12 and 13, on the one hand, and 10', 11 and 12 on the other hand, thus formed, the complemental of the same are placed in side edge to edge abutting relation, and these adjacent edges are connected together by means of two-way hinges 17, so that the several wall sections may be moved relatively to one another .to various angular or other positions of use.

-As shown, the panels 16 of the wall sections 10 and 10 are each cut to provide a door opening of substantial size, and the cut out portion 18 therefrom is employed as a door, which is hinged, as at 19, to one of the Vertical sides of the opening thus formed.

Similarly, the panels of the wall sections 11 and 117 are also each out toward their lower ends to form relatively small door openings, and the cut-out portions 20 therefrom are employed as doors to normally close the same, these portions or doors 20 being hinged at one side of the openings for the purpose. Each of the several doors 18 and 20 are preferably provided with handles 22 at their inner and outer sides for facilitating the opening and closing of the same.

In the use of'either of the two forms of screens, as described and illustrated herein, each of the same may be employed as temporary or permanent partitions by being placed in vertical position with the wall sections thereof in extended order, substantially as is shown in Figure 1, or as a screen before doors, windows, or about machinery, stoves or the like, as circumstances may require. However, when set up with the wall sections arranged in angular relation to enclose a space within the same, as in the case of enclosing an object such as a stove or the like in such space, ready access to the enclosed space or object may be had through the doors 18 and 20. The wall portions, in either arrangement of the same, as'shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, are to be securely braced at the inner sides of all of the several corners formed by the angular depression of the wall portions, by means i of brace members 23, which are formed of suitable lengths of strap iron, having their opposite ends angularly bent to correspond to the angular relation of the wall portions as aforesaid, and these end portions are apertured to receive securing bolts therethrough, which are also engaged in corresponding openings formed in the upper and lower sides of the frames. By the use of these brace members 23, the abutted vertical sides of the outer of the wall sections are also to be secured together to make the screens substantially rigid when the Wall portions thereof are angularly disposed to provide a closed space within the same.

Without further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope as claimed.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a fireproof screenor the like, a plurality of open metal frames, arranged in edge to edge relation, two-wa hinge connections between adjacent e es of said frames, whereby the latter may e placed in any desired angular relation one with respect to the other, a panel closing the opengular relation.

FRANK P. BUNKER. 

